A former county cricket star helping youngsters get a first taste of the sport, an advisor on international government stability in some of the world’s most difficult political environments and a woman who built a luxury jewellery empire from nothing were also among those named in the Queen’s birthday honours.

Ham & High: Rebecca Astley Clarke is made an MBE in the Queen's birthday honoursRebecca Astley Clarke is made an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours (Image: Archant)

St John’s Wood resident Wasim Khan was made MBE for services to cricket and the community, Iain King, also from St John’s Wood, was made CBE for services to governance in Libya, Afghanistan and Kosovo, and Richard Glasstone, the Paddington-based ballet choreographer and author, was made MBE for services to classical ballet.

Meanwhile, High-flying luxury jewellery retailer Rebecca Astley Clarke was also made MBE for services to the jewellery industry. The mother-of-two, from Paddington, is founder and executive chairman of Astley Clarke.

After working in luxury brand consultancy and landing jobs as commercial director of iVillage.co.uk and head of non-retail strategy at Tesco.com, Ms Astley Clarke set up the brand in 2006 and a design studio in the capital followed in 2009.

It is now one of the UK’s leading luxury fine jewellery brands with concessions in Harrods, Liberty and Selfridges department stores.

Ms Astley Clarke said: “I am so delighted to have received this MBE. The whole Astley Clarke team and our partners have worked tirelessly over the last seven years to build and grow our beautiful British luxury jewellery brand; it is absolutely lovely to feel that there is recognition for all of our hard work.”

Picking up an MBE alongside her will be St John’s Wood resident and former county cricketer Wasim Khan, former chief executive of The Cricket Foundation.

Recognised for services to cricket and the community, Mr Khan, 42, was tasked with planning, developing and executing the ambitious grass-roots cricket programme Chance To Shine.

After retiring from county cricket in 2001, Mr Khan helped promote the game in schools before becoming community development manager at the Professional Cricketers’ Association.

Since 2005 he has been director of operations for The Cricket Foundation and is now chief executive of the charity Chance To Shine, which earlier this year celebrated the two millionth child to receive cricket opportunities through its programmes.

Mr Khan said: “I was genuinely shocked when I received the news, but I immediately felt hugely proud to be recognised in this way. It’s a great honour and recognises the effort you’ve put in over a number of years.

“I feel a debt of gratitude to the many people who have helped me over the years and who believed in me. This award reflects the success of the Chance To Shine programme which is benefiting a great number of children.

“I’m grateful to the Cricket Foundation chairman Adrian Beecroft, the trustees, Chance To Shine co-founders Sir Mervyn King, Mark Nicholas and Duncan Fearnley, for giving me the opportunity and to the team for their support.”

Meanwhlie Iain King, a stability advisor working for the Department for International Development, was recognised for his work in some of the most difficult political environments in the world.

He said: “It was a wonderful surprise to hear that I had been awarded this CBE. It’s a great honour. I’m very chuffed!

“I have worked with some great teams as part of the government’s stabilisation unit – people who rose to the challenge when conditions were tough.

“Over the years, the work we’ve done in Kosovo, Libya and Afghanistan has made a real change for the local people we were working with.

“Helping bring things like schools and a functioning political system – things that we often take for granted in London – was really fascinating work. I’m glad to have been part of those successes.”